The CRS is a Congressional "think tank" with a staff of around 700. Reports are commissioned by members of Congress on topics relevant to current political events. Despite CRS costs to the tax payer of over $100M a year, its electronic archives are, as a matter of policy, not made available to the public.

Individual members of Congress will release specific CRS reports if they believe it to assist them politically, but CRS archives as a whole are firewalled from public access.

This report was obtained by Wikileaks staff from CRS computers accessible only from Congressional offices.

The Digital Millennium Copyright Act, P.L. 105-304, was enacted October 28, 1998 by passage of H.R. 2281. The Act amends and updates the Copyright Act, title 17 U.S.C. with respect to use of copyrighted works on the Internet and in other digital, electronic contexts. Title I implements two new intellectual property treaties (the World Intellectual Property Organization Copyright Treaty and the World Intellectual Property Organization Performances and Phonograms Treaty), to which the Senate gave its advice and consent to ratification on October 21, 1998. Title II establishes certain exemptions form copyright liability for online service and access providers. Title III exempts computer maintenance and repair companies from copyright liability for the reproduction of computer programs that occurs by mere activation of the computer. Title IV contains miscellaneous provisions relating to ephemeral recordings of digital broadcasts; exemptions for preservation activities of libraries and archives; new compulsory licenses to make ephemeral recordings of, and to transmit, digital sound recordings; the assumption of contractual obligations relating to motion picture collective bargaining agreements; and the rank and authority of the Register of Copyrights and the rank of the Commissioner of Patents and Trademarks. Title V creates federal design protection for vessel hulls, which is sunset after 2 years. This report summarizes and analyzes the Digital Millennium Copyright Act.